September 22nd, 2015 Have I Done Any Good?

Kaikille:
Wow what a week!  So so much has happened!  My birthday was this last week!  Can you believe I'm 20 years old?  20??  Eck.. it sounds so old!  Kuitenkin-- it was one of my best birthdays of my life thus far!  Guess who I got to spend most of the day doing missionary work with??  Sister Seegmiller-- My trainer!!!!  She got called to be a Sister Training Leader this last transfer over the Tampere Zone and then they called not long after that to tell us that they were coming for splits on the 17th (MY BDAY)!!!  It was one of the best days!  It was so great to see how much we have both changed and grown in the time that we've been apart.  Who would have guess that I would be spending the day in the life of a missionary with my trainer again.  She goes home in January and I honestly wasn't sure if I would see her again before she went home.  Sister Seegmiller was and is such an example to me of sharing the gospel with everyone! Literally everyone.  She speaks Finnish like no other and definitely taught me much of what I know.  But anyways here are the exciting things that happened on my birthday besides that:
-Gave away 5 Book of Mormons in one day
-tracted (ALL DAY-- it was what I wanted to do)
-ate yummy oreos for lunch
-ate cinnamon rolls that the elders gave me for my birthday after planning with my favorite ice cream ROCKY ROAD that Sister Allen surprised me with.
-Opened a present from Sister Seegmiller
-Got my favorite Punnitse ja Säästä dried fried from Sister Allen with a long note that I read in my closet and made me cry for a while (I LOVE HER TO DEATH)
-woke up at 4am the next morning to tell the Sister Training leaders goodbye (They had to catch a super early train-- yes I guess you could say I really love Sister Seegmiller)

Needless to say-- IT WAS A GREAT AMAZING WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY!

My 20th birthday spent with my trainer Sis Seegmiller.   What an awesome day I had.  

So about the rest of the week--

TUES-- We taught our family again.  It just gets better and better.  They shared a story about prayer and how they had received an answer to their prayer that week.  We didn't even ask them to share it, but they really wanted to.  They even got out google translate on their ipad for a part of it, because we weren't understanding everything.   They really wanted us to know.  It meant a lot!

SAT-- Another lesson with our family.  They haven't all come to church yet as a family and so we were teaching about Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.  We were really hoping it would go well and they would really understand why it was important and that they should come to church.  Wa-la!!!!  They totally understood why it was important and they said that they would come the next day to church.

LITTLE BACKGROUND INFO-- They have a son who is about 10 years old and he has Autism.  It's really hard for him to focus or be quiet and not have something to do, so this is why they were really worried about coming to church I think.  They also have a 3 year old who is rather noisy too.  He likes to mimic people laughing and sometimes make really loud noises.  I can understand their concern in not wanting to make a ruckus their first time at church.

BUT....

SUN--  THEY CAME TO CHURCH!! It was like almost time for the meeting to start and they had even texted us that morning to say that they were coming, and we were really starting to get nervous, but then they made it!  Sacrament meeting was rough and I was a little worried, but after Sacrament meeting, the members seriously were amazing! They just came up and started talking with them and then the Primary President just took the wife and the kids and headed to Primary.  We didn't even have to say or do anything.  THANK YOU!  Then the husband came with us to the investigator PyhäKoulu class.  It was a really great lesson about agency.  Then he went to Priesthood and then they finally all left afterwards together.  I was definitely a little worried when they left that it had been a bit too wild for them and a lot of work to be there, but when the next lesson rolled around, it was amazing what had happened.

MON-- I received two packages.  One from my family and one from my Uncle Ryan.  Can i just say-- I am the luckiest missionary in the world, and super spoiled rotten!  Thank you SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!  So then we had another lesson with our family!  They actually really liked church and I guess the 10 year old son, said that he wants to go again!  Would you look at that?  What a blessing!!  Then the husband showed us the book that they gave him from Priesthood-- the one by Ezra Taft Benson.  He shared what he had learned and what they had talked about in Priesthood and how it was really interesting.  He was so excited to tell us about it.  Craziness!  They are just so awesome!  They said they are coming next week.  What a relief and a blessing and oh just how happy I am!  The lesson went super well and they talked even more about times in their lives that they could remember they received an answer to a prayer.  Since we showed them how they can also get the gospel library (scriptures) on their phone, they have downloaded it on their ipad and the other phone as well, and looked at other things on there.  Even the oldest son they said was reading the bible stories for kids with the pictures and he really liked that.  I just honestly cannot believe the change in this family and how ready they are to do what is right and follow Christ.  I walk away from their house every time, just thinking, what in the world just happened?  Was that real?  It's amazing! I'm just so blessed to be apart of all of this!

TÄNÄÄN-- THEY GOT MARRIED!!!! I started to think... is this really going to happen?  And sure enough.. today at 1pm at their house, they were married.  Bishop's wife came as well and brought such a cute yummy cake and we had all these other goodies there.  The husband had even gotten a ring for her.  It was so great!  They had 4 friends that had come.  So awesome to be there and to think... wow this is their next step toward baptism.  I am just so excited.

ONE SLIGHT ONGELMA--  While we were at their house in the kitchen getting ice cream ready, we noticed a huge extravagant coffee machine in the corner.  We had planned to teach them about the word of wisdom on Friday, but we think didn't that it would be a problem.  Well... now we have a bit of a problem.  I hope that all will be okay and they can see the significance of showing our faith by keeping the commandments, but you never know how some people might respond.  It has just been so picture perfect up until now, and I hope that it can stay that way!  They are just so ready to be apart of this church and this gospel and I know that it has, can, and will continue to bless their lives.


Well that's about all for this week!  Such an amazing one!   I just wanted to leave with some thoughts from studies this past week!  We were able to sing a song in English with one of the old ladies in our ward on Sunday.  We sang "Have I Done Any Good?"  The words to songs in Finnish I just don't quite understand everything and it really doesn't translate the same way, so it was nice to sing in English for once.  But kuitenkin, I really thought about the words to this song and how it goes along with what I studied in the Book of Mormon.  I was reading in Alma 34 and really thinking about prayer and what a blessing it is-- how we can pray at any time and in any place and God will listen.  But then I came across verse 28, which says, "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all. for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need-- I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith."  Well simply put, we can't expect to pray at all times and in all places and receive help, if we are not willing to help others and do something ourselves.  So my message this week is this, "There are chances for work all around just now, opportunities right in our way.  Do not let them pass by, saying "sometime I'll try", but GO and DO something today!"

I love this gospel with all my heart.  I am blessed each day to be serving a mission.  I am privileged to serve in such a beautiful, peaceful, sacred place!  I love my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  This gospel is my life and my joy!  Go and Do something good today!  I love you all! Have a great week!

Rakkaudellani,
Sisar Jordan

Streets of Jyvaskyla

More Lakes !

Happy Birthday to me Happy Birthday to me!!!!
Thank you Mom and Uncle Ryan.....

Sept. 15, 2015 Adversity - Brings Us to Our Happily Ever After

Kaikille:
“Once upon a time.”
Aren’t those wonderful words to begin a story? “Once upon a time” promises something:  a  story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. It may include tales of  ourage, hope, and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good  overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes  reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words “And they lived happily ever after.”
For a moment, think back about your favorite fairy tale.In that story the main character may be a princess or a peasant; she might be a mermaid or a milkmaid, a ruler or a servant. You  will find one thing all have in common: they must overcome adversity.
Cinderella has to endure her wicked stepmother and evil stepsisters. She is compelled to  suffer long hours of servitude and ridicule.
In “Beauty and the Beast,” Belle becomes a captive to a frightful looking beast in order to save her father. She sacrifices her home and family, all she holds  dear, to spend several months in the beast’s castle.
In the tale “Rumpelstiltskin,” a poor miller promises the king that his daughter can spin straw  into gold. The king immediately sends for her and locks her in a room with a mound of straw and a spinning wheel. Later in the story she faces the danger of losing her firstborn child  unless she can guess the name of the magical creature who helped her in this impossible task.
In each of these stories, Cinderella, Belle, and the miller’s daughter have to experience  sadness and trial before they can reach their “happily ever after.” Think about it. Has there  ever been a person who did not have to go through his or her own dark valley of temptation,  trial, and sorrow?
Sandwiched between their “once upon a time” and“happily ever after,” they all had to  experience great adversity. Why must all experience sadness and tragedy? Why could we not  simply live in bliss and peace, each day filled with wonder, joy, and love?
The scriptures tell us there must be opposition in all things, for without it we could not  discern the sweet from the bitter.2 Would the marathon runner feel the triumph of finishing the race had she not felt the pain of the hours of pushing against her limits? Would the  pianist feel the joy of mastering an intricate sonata without the painstaking hours of
 practice?
In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. Adversity helps to  develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy" (President Uchtdorf).  
     I really think this is the greatest lesson I have learned thus far on my mission.  "It is our reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how our life's story will develop" (President Uchtdorf).  We were placed on earth -- a state of being called mortality.  It's inevitable that trials and challenges will come while here.  They are part of living on the earth and living in mortality.  But ultimately, we choose who we will become because of those trials that we experience in our lives.  I am so grateful for the trial that my family and I have all experienced this past week because it is allowing us all a chance to change-- to become better-- to be more loving, more kind, more caring, more wise, more forgiving.  I am grateful for the miracles we have seen and for the prayers and fasting, tears and hugs, everything that has been done on behalf of my brother and our family.  I come from such a blessed community and have been surrounded by some of the most wonderful people.  We are truly blessed!  
I really just wanted to talk about this this week.  Next week I'll fill you all in on what's been happening across the big ocean, but for now, I hope you all know how much I love each of you!  Rhett I love you!  I am so happy that you are okay!  I love you more than words can express!  I hope you know that!  I know this gospel is true! We just have to put our trust in Heavenly Father and know that "we cannot comprehend all that the Lord doth comprehend."  I am so grateful to be here serving in such a sacred place.  I am so blessed each day and I have seen the hand of the Lord so vividly yet again this week in my life!  Miracles are real!  God is merciful, loving, and all-knowing.  Believe in Him.  Trust in Him.  And know that "these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for they good."  
I love you all!  Make today a great day!  
Rakkaudellani,
Sisar Jordan  

Time To Buy Lite Bulbs !!!

  

Sept. 9, 2015 Kesta Loppuum Asti

Kaikille:

I hope everyone has had a chance to really think about and remember Christ each day this week.  I hope you have found something special to help you really think about Him and grow closer to Him each day aside from pondering and reading scriptures and prayer.  I know your relationship with Him will grow as you continue to strive to be more like Him and live as He would.    

SO..... Guess What Everyone??!?!  We set a wedding date with our family for the 22nd of this month.. How crazy is that-- that's two weeks away?  So we had a lesson with them last Thursday.  Our Bishop and his wife came and they were so awesome.  We talked a lot about eternal marriage and the blessings that come from that, and that for them, marriage and then baptism are both steps to being able to be sealed in the temple for eternity.  Then we made all the wedding plans!!  So great!!  The husband said the closing prayer, and in his prayer, he told Heavenly Father thanks for helping them to decided to be married and that he was grateful for the good and benefit that it would be for his family!  It was such a "warm fuzzies" moment for me, and I had to tell myself not to cry! (haha I have to do that a lot here)

We also had a lesson with them last night as well about faith and repentance.  They just are so accepting of everything and we even talked about favorite verses in the scriptures.  The husband is already to 2 Nephi 5.  They really like the Book of Mormon and say that it is really easy for them to understand compared to the bible.  It's just ahh.. So amazing! 

This week I really felt a change in the weather.. for the worst.  It has been pretty cloudy, dark, and rainy most of the week.  On Saturday we went out to go tracting.  We took a bus ride about 30 minutes to get there, and by the time we were there, it was like downpour.  Well we had to get off the bus and so we decided to try and walk up a few streets to find maybe an apartment building, but by the time we even got up one street, our skirts and bags were soaked.  Then when we finally found these apartment buildings, they were all locked.  So we just had to catch a bus to come back to an area closer and tract there.  It was rather fun other than being cold and wet! :)  I think the temperature has been about 50ish.  Every morning for personal study, I have to put on socks, a hoodie, and cocoon myself in a blanket because I'm so cold.  Winter really is coming.  I can tell that it is getting darker sooner now here and the leaves have somewhat started to fall as well.  We'll see how winter goes-- PRAY that I won't freeze.

We not have another really awesome young investigator.  Sister Allen and her previous companions found her while tracting, the transfer before I got here.  They had about 7 lessons with her and then the day I got here, we had one lesson with her before she left for about two months to Helsinki.  She met with the missionaries there twice and also attended church twice there.  We just had a lesson with her on Saturday and she also came to church on Sunday.  The young-single adults in our ward, one in particular have really reached out to her and invited her to some activities.  She is really awesome and we're hoping for a baptismal date soon.  We tried for one on Saturday, but she's just not quite ready to commit.  I think it will come in time though!  She is great!!! 

Well I just wanted to share a little spiritual note for the day.  I was studying Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life lately, and also the chapter that Nephi is able to see what his father saw (Chapters 8 and 11 in 1 Nephi).  I then read from this last general conference, Elder Kevin W. Pearson's talk-- "Stay by the Tree".  I would encourage you to read it.  The part I wanted to talk about and share is about the Book of Mormon.  He talks about the Book of Mormon being the key to Spiritual Survival.  I too testify of that.  Each day that I study the Book of Mormon, I am given strength, peace, guidance, and hope to live more like my Heavenly Father would want me to.  On days that I am having a hard time, I find a lasting peace, and enduring peace that strengthens and renews me.  I know that reading the Book of Mormon is one of the most important ways that we will be able to withstand temptation and overcome the trials in our lives.  I am so grateful for it, and that I have the opportunity to share its' importance in my life with others.  Take time this week to really read and ponder the scriptures-- they are the Word of God-- the Iron Rod which will lead us to the Tree of Life-- to the Love of God and to Eternal Life.  

I love you all and I am so grateful to be serving right now!  I hope you all are safe, happy, and healthy, and that you stay that way in the coming winter months!  Make yourselves a fabulous week!  

Rakkaudellani,

Sisar Jordan 

Pajama ramas!!!!

My new dietary plan has started!!!!!!! Salad and water for me.....Yay!!!!!!

  

September 1, 2015 Wedding Bells !! Ding-Dong!!!!

Kaikille:

How in the world is everyone?  I hope you are smiling right this second as you read this.  Think about everything wonderful in your life right now and just take a second and thank your Heavenly Father.  I know that I sure have been blessed this week, and I am smiling right now as I write this to you all!

This week has been blessing and after blessing!  So let me start at the beginning.

TIISTAINA (tuesday)--  We had a lesson with our Family.  We had hoped to review the Restoration, but it didn't go quite as well as we'd hoped.  As we were leaving that night, we asked why there were two last names on the door, to which they responded, because they aren't married.  OH NO!  Well here's the problem... they can't get baptized until they are living the Law of Chastity, and technically, that would mean that they aren't.  But they have been together at least ten years, because their oldest son is ten, the next one is three, and there's another on the way.  So how am I supposed to tell these people that they have to get married??  We had a slight pickle.

TORSTAINA (thursday)-- We had another lesson with our family.  We had a really awesome lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and we still hadn't figured out how to bring up the whole topic of marriage, so we let it be.  They committed to have their whole family come to church on Sunday.  We were so excited.  They really liked the Plan of Salvation, and said they had had a lot of questions in their life already about where they came from and where they're going.  They said that it made sense. (CHA-CHING)

PERJANTIANA (friday)-- We gave away three Books of Mormon and got a referral with an appointment for the other Elders in our District.  Then we also got transfer calls, and guess what??  I am staying here with Sister Allen for another transfer.  I am so excited because I honestly can't imagine leaving right now, in the middle of teaching this family.

LAUANTAINA (saturday)--  Our family texted us late this evening and told us that they wouldn't be able to make it to church because they hadn't made it back from their trip to Savunlinna.  Man were we disappointed, but they did say that they have been reading the Book of Mormon everyday like we asked them too.  YAY!

SUNNUNTAINA (sunday)--  Because it was the 5th sunday of the month, everyone was combined in the chapel, including the young women and young men.  They asked the Missionaries to teach part of the lesson about how the ward can help with missionary work more.  We felt that it went pretty well.  We had the part that talked about how they can look over  or think about the lesson plan that we either call and tell them or give to them, before the lesson.  Also that if it was possible, that they should get a Preach My Gospel and read over a little bit in it, so that they could better understand the methods and tools we been given to teach with.  And last was just to be a friend to our investigators-- whether that be calling or sending them a text to remind them of commitments they are trying to keep, or inviting them to activities, or sitting by them in church, or simply introducing yourself to them.  The other elders talked about things they can do in lessons to help us, and then they also did a simple role play with one of the members of what we would like them to do in lessons.  It was really good I think for the members to hear and to see exactly what can help us.  Sometimes we have struggled with members who like to talk to much, or start talking about way random things that investigators won't understand-- for example patriarchal blessings.  I think the most important thing is just to put yourself in the shoes of the missionaries and most importantly the investigator.  This is all foreign to them and we have to teach simply.  Most of us, have built up testimonies and knowledge of doctrinal things for at least 20 years, since the time we were little.  These people are not on the same level we are by any means and we have to teach them simply and clearly so that they can understand.  Sometimes I like to think of them as eight year olds.  That is the age that is recommended by Prophets for children to be ready and worthy to be baptized and really we are asking the same thing of our investigators-- baptism.  Well think about it... do you think an eight year old would want to know or even really understand a lot specifically about the kingdoms of glory, patriarchal blessings, etc.?  Yes I know some of these things are things that we teach, but remembering that they just need to be taught simply and clearly.  With time, comes more understanding and knowledge.  Anyways, I think it was really great to be able to share with the members and already they do such a great job here of helping us!!
Also on Sunday, we went to go visit a cute little old lady and take her cookies.  While we were there, she was showing us all these pictures of her family.  She is 91 years old!  WOW!!  Well anyways, the funniest thing-- she just kept farting haha!  I just almost couldn't contain my giggles the whole time!  Oh I can't wait to be old!! :)

MAANANTAINA (monday)-- THE BEST DAY EVER!  So we had prepared our lesson and even talked with the member couple that was coming to help us with our investigator family's lesson, about how we should go about everything.  We were pretty nervous for the lesson, but it went amazingly well!  We talked about Faith in Jesus Christ and how it motivates us to action and that it leads us to want to follow God's commandments.  Then that lead into the Law of Chastity.  So then after we had taught everything, we said, "Are you willing to follow the Law of Chastity?"  They said yes, and so then finally after being really worried to ask, I said, "So will you get married?"  It was crazy!  But long story short... we are in the midst of trying to get them married now!  AHH!!!  How crazy is that?  Who knew I would be planning a wedding on my mission?  We have another lesson with them on thursday and we will be talking about all the details and everything they need to do.  I hope I can do this... it will all be in Finnish might I add.  I can't say I know too much vocabulary in the wedding details department, but we'll see!  It's just so great!  SO SO WONDERFUL!

We'll see how this next week goes!!  I'm excited for all that is ahead of us, and I hope it just keeps moving in an uphill direction.  I have prayed so much for them, and I can feel and see my prayers being answered.  Unfortunately, I feel like i'm waiting for ice to crack.  Everything has just been too good almost to be true, but I guess when God prepares those who are ready, he really PREPARES them in every way!!

I really wanted to share something with you that I have pondered quite a bit this last week!  As I was sitting in Sacrament meeting this last sunday, I read through the Sacrament prayers and it really got me thinking-- "What does it mean when it says I do always remember Him?"  Because of course, we should ALWAYS remember the Savior during the Sacrament-- his life, death, Atonement, and all he did for us, but what else I do and when-- to remember the Savior?  I think one of the things that has really helped me thus far on my mission is to look at his picture every night.  I have a small picture of Christ with a scripture on the back that I look at every night when I lay in bed, and then just set it right to the side, so that I wake up and see it again and am reminded of Him.   I like the words of Joseph Fielding Smith.  He says, "To´always remember him,´ does not mean simply to remember that he was crucified.  But to keep in mind constantly the reasons why, and what blessings have come to each of us through his death and resurrection.  We are to remember the great suffering and what it cost him to make the great atonement.  We are to remember that he did it because of his love, not only for those who believe on him, but also for the whole world."  So my question for all of you this week is this:  What do you do each day so that you "do always remember him"  so that you "may always have His spirit to be with you"?

I truly "Stand All Amazed" at all that Christ has done for me.  He is my Savior, my Redeemer, my brother, and my best friend.  I hope you all can find a way to remember Christ each day of your life and to become more like he is.  I am so grateful for this gospel and the chance I have to share it with others.  I love you all so much!  Have a fabulous week!

Rakkaudellani,
Sisar Jordan

ME !!!

AHHH!!!!!!!  Gorgeous.....

My favorite graffiti sign !!!  Thank You Criminals !!! :)
"FEEL FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY" 

I LOVE FINLAND!

    

Aug 25th 2015 Q&A's

I sent an email to Schyler with a few questions. Thought I would share her answers her since there was no big email for everyone today and I think the answers are important enough to share......so here goes.

1) What things did you do in High School that you are glad you did - things that helped you be more ready for a mission?

Schy's answer:

  * Go to seminary with the attitude that whatever the lesson was on, was something that God wanted me to hear that day and that there was always something to learn.  Even if it was just scripture mastery quizzes.  When I went I went with the intent to be edified and uplifted, seminary became much more personal and spiritual and it helped me to leave that building with a renewed testimony to choose the right and be a better person. 

 * Remember that your parents and leaders are "God's messengers" in a sense.  God has placed these people in your life for a specific reason-- even your parents (I know that sounds funny).  But they are there to help you choose the right and they want what is best for you, even if you sometimes don't realize or think it.  Ask for their advice, learn from them, and let them become your best friends.  Remember they are older and wiser!  

*Don't forget to pray!  For the majority of my time in high school, I would try to remember to pray every night.  Then I remember multiple times when I just knew I needed help or I just felt alone.  Maybe it was even before a basketball game-- Of course I knew that God wouldn't just magically at the end of the game change the score so that we would win, but he would give me the strength to play and the stamina to last the game.  He would give me a clear mind to focus on the plays and guarding the person in front of me.  He would help my body to function properly so that I could play.  I can't say at the time (during high school), that I felt like my prayers were necessarily always answered (or at least I didn't notice), but I know that just that relationship that I developed with my Heavenly Father, helped me to know that I could find peace in just talking to him and knowing that he was listening.  He didn't always take all my problems away or solve them for me, neither did he just magically make me change things that were wrong in my life, but he gave me the peace, comfort, assurance, guidance, and strength to do so myself.  I may not have seen it then, and maybe you can't see the purpose of prayer in your life right now, but just DON'T FORGET TO PRAY! God is listening and your prayers will always in one way or another be answered, maybe not the way you planned or expected, but they will be answered. 

2) Is there anything you wish you would have done different to prepare for a mission?

Schy's answer:YES!!!  -Read my scriptures and pay much more attention when you have family scripture study and also in seminary.  Seriously, you don't have to be a scriptorian on your mission, but it sure helps a lot to be able to share a favorite scripture with someone on the street when you actually have one and to be able to explain "why" it's your favorite and the story behind the scripture.    -Share the Gospel.  I know growing up in small town beaver, you think... "everyone is Mormon", there aren't very many missionary opportunities, but trust me, there are!!!  There were moments I remember being prompted to just talk to someone I didn't even know in high school before because maybe they needed a friend and I knew they weren't mormon, and maybe that would help them to come to know of the gospel.  If you think about it this way... we really are lucky because we live in a town where so many people are Mormon, then you know who is and who isn't!  Go find those who aren't and Share the gospel with them!   You'll be surprised at what happens!!!  
3) Sum up your experiences of the last 8 months?
Schy's answer:ugh... I am running out of time mom.. sorry.  I wish I could say more.  Simply put-- the last eight months have taught me more about God's love and his plan for me in my life.  I have learned of the Savior's infinite Atoning sacrifice for me and all mankind and that for me personally, that means that not only did he suffer for my sins, but also for my weaknesses, trials, pains, and sorrow.  He knows perfectly well what we experience in life.  I love the words to "I Stand All Amazed" and "How Great Thou Art".  They sum up perfectly what I feel about the last eight months at least personally in my life.    This is my favorite quote right now to go along with that:
"Your Heavenly Father loves you-- each of you.  That love NEVER changes.  It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account.  It is not changed by your talents and abilities.  It is simply there.  It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful.  God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love.  It is simply ALWAYS there."  -President Monson 

August 25, 2015

When we got stranded without a bus 60 km outside of Jyvaskyla.  Boy! was it every HOT!!!!!

It's US!  

Same Beautiful Lakes!!!!!!!

Me and Sisar Allen at our favorite lake in Palokka!!!!

August 18, 2015 "A Heart Full of Love & Happiness"

Kaikille:

Oh what a week... what a wonderful wonderful week! So... last tuesday, we were able to go to the house of the family that we just found and teach them for the first time and then we were able to go again last night.  Let me preface all of this though-- Most people we talk to or I have taught thus far on my mission either aren't even from Finland so they speak English, or they are Finnish and they speak quite a bit of English, so what I'm not able to say, I can say in English... or at least most of the time.  Well, this family, doesn't speak a lick of English-- whatsoever!  Only Finnish.  So me and Sister Allen being fairly new and not knowing Finnish super well were hoping that maybe, just maybe, they would speak a little English too.  Well first lesson, we find out: NOPE they do not speak English.  We were really nervous going into our first lesson, but had role played A LOT.  I prayed and prayed in my heart that it would go well.  We have worked so hard just to find someone that is willing to actually meet and listen.  I want so badly someone who really cares about what we are teaching them and wants to go somewhere with it.  Well this is how the first lesson went-- the Dad was the one who we had talked to in the very first place, so we sat down at the table with him, and then asked if his wife wanted to come in and join too.  So she came in and sat down.  She listened, but didn't say a lot.  The dad had read almost all of the chapters of the "Questions of the Soul" that we had used to talk with him at the door.  It was crazy.  That means he had read at least 10 chapters of the Book of Mormon.  He said he really likes it because it is so much simpler to understand than the bible.  We were able to talk all about families and the blessings that we can receive through the gospel.  We felt like it would be a really good thing to talk about with them since they have two little boys-- one that is 10 and one that is 3.  We talked about God's love for his children and that he has prepared a plan for all of us to return to live with him after this life.  They listened really well and I could tell that they were really thinking about what we said to them.  We explained a little about the Family Proclamation and then committed them both to reading it before we met again.  The best thing was that we said a prayer at the end of the lesson and I just felt the spirit so strongly.  They agreed to meeting again and it was just so great!  

So then our second lesson, the Dad had read more of the Book of Mormon, and they had both read the Proclamation.  We talked more about what they had liked from the Proclamation.  I talked about one of my favorite parts-- that we can be together with our families forever through these sacred ordinances and covenants we make in the temple.  We were then able to tell them just a little about temples.  They said that that was a great promise.  We then did just a basic low down of why we are here and what our hope for them is.  The dad talked about attending many churches before hand.  So I asked him well does learning about our church feel the same or different.  He took a few moments to answer and then he looked at us and said, "it feels different."  It was such a defining moment in the lesson.  I was just so happy inside.  We were able to talk to them about church and they committed to coming to church this Sunday with their WHOLE family!!! What?!  We also tried to get one of them to pray at the end of the lesson.  It was a struggle for a while because the Dad wanted the mom to pray, but she felt embarrassed about doing it, so finally one of us, said we would say it, but we made them promise to pray out loud together that night.  They said that they would.  

I can't tell you how full of happiness and love my heart is today.  WE ARE TEACHING A FINNISH FAMILY!!  It's such a wonderful feeling inside.  I walked away from their lesson last night, almost speechless because I knew that Heavenly Father had directed every single part of that lesson-- he had helped me to speak Finnish enough that they could understand and had helped me to understand more of what they said.  We had taught them so much more than we had even planned and I had felt the spirit while we were there.  It was amazing!!!  

Another great story that happened yesterday as well--

As we were sitting on a bench trying to role play our lesson for that family that we would teach in an hour, a man who we had passed earlier on the street that day and said hi to, stopped and started to talk to ask us a question.  He had a really bad stutter and he didn't speak Finnish hardly at all.  Well, long story short, despite the HUGE language barrier, we talked to him for a while and ended up walking with him to his house and met his wife and we were invited in and given orange juice and some yummy cinnamon bread and cookies.  We were able to download the Book of Mormon on their phone and give them a pass along card to show them where they could look up our website and learn more.  They are from Iraq and moved to Finland because there were so many problems happening there.  They don't speak any English, but they really try to speak Finnish.  They haven't ever taken a class or anything, they just have learned by listening and talking with people.  It's so crazy to me how kind they were and willing to just let us into their home and feed us.  The husband even told us if we are ever close by and we are tired, we can come and take a nap if we ever need too.  They even offered us dinner, but we had to go for our appointment.  Seriously, here are these people who don't even know us AT ALL.  None of us speak Finnish very well, but we are able to communicate and figure out what the other one is saying.  I felt of their love and I know they felt the same way.  I started to cry as we left their house, because I couldn't believe how kind they had been. That doesn't just happen everyday.  EVER.  Especially not with a language barrier like that one.  It is a testimony to me that it doesn't matter what language you speak, or even how well you speak it-- actions speak much much louder than words, and when the spirit is present, all things are possible.  I think we will try and go back to visit them sometime, we just will probably have to get permission because they may be Muslim. 

My heart is ever full of love!  SO SO SO MUCH LOVE!  God loves all of us!  He is watching over us.  He has created a plan for us centered on the life and Atonement of Jesus Christ to make it possible for us to return and live with him.  This life truly is a time to grow and learn and become more like our Savior Jesus Christ.  Lift up your hearts, lift up your eyes, and speak what is in your heart be it happiness or sorrow-- He is always listening, He is always watching, and He is always there to lift and love you.  I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ.  He is leading and guiding it and He loves each one of us!  I know these things are true in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Have the most wonderful week ever!!  

Rakkaudellani,

Sisar Jordan                  

Its been really hot!  Great day for an icecream.....

FINLAND !!!!!!!

Lakes of Finland and Beautiful sunsets!

Oh, you know, just our everyday walk down the roads of Finland !!